Oklahoma official says rail used by Amtrak is compliant

Oklahoma official says rail used by Amtrak is compliant

Feb. 17, 2018

https://www.apnews.com/70303220b08949b18886f5e41434525e

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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma transportation official says rail used by Amtrak for the Heartland Flyer that runs daily between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas, complies with a new speed control system.

Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson has said it's possible service will be suspended on tracks that don't have what's known as Positive Train Control — or PTC.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kenna Mitchell told The Journal Record that ODOT has confirmed with Amtrak that the Heartland Flyer line is PTC-compliant.

Railroads face a year-end deadline for installing the system, but some are asking for an extension until 2020, on top of a three-year delay granted in 2015.

Amtrak has PTC in place on tracks it owns in the northeast and in Michigan. Elsewhere, it operates on track owned by freight carriers and other entities.